Window latch guard



N. o. HOLMSTEN WINDOW LATCH GUARD Sept. 20, 1949 Filed June 18, 19 18 m 7 y w M INVEN TOR. AM. #0 //11 s Zen fifty,

Patented Sept. 20, 1949 UNITED STATES PAT OFFICE WINDOW LATCH GUARD NeihO'. .Holmsten, New Rochelle,.N-. Y.

Application June 18, 1948', Serial No. 33,781

4 Claims. 1

This invention relates to window latch guards and more particularly to a burglar pr'oof guard for preventing a window latch from being released by unauthorized persons.

An object of the invention is: to provide a novel and improved guard of the above type;

Another objectis to provide a; guard which renders the window latch inaccessible for release when the window pane is broken.

Another object is to provide a guard of the above type which may be removed when not in use.

Another object is to provide a removable guard including spaced bars" for" use with large window panes to prevent a person from releasing the latch or from entering the window when the pane is broken.

Various other" objects and advantages will be apparent as the nature of the invention is more fully" disclosed. v

In accordance with the present invention; I provide a base memb'er'which is attached to the rail of the bottom sash and a latch cover which is removably secured over the window latch and is adapted to be locked: to the base member by suitable means, such as a padlock. When; the latch cover islocked to the basemember, it completely encloses the window latch and also covers the screw heads by which the base member is attached, thereby preventing unauthorized removal while the padlock is in place. The base member may also carry a pair of vertical bars which are spaced across the window so as to reduce the free opening to a size such that a person cannot pass through the window. The lower ends of the bars may extend between the lower sash and the sill to prevent removal. In the case of windows having small panes, the bars may be omitted. The base member may be permanently secured to the sash or may be removably secured if desired so that the entire guard may be removed from the window when not in use.

The nature of the invention will be better understood by referring to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which a specific embodiment thereof has been set forth for purposes of illustration.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is an elevation of a portion of a window illustrating the latch guard in position;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, but on a larger scale, showing the latch guard in position;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the latch cover; and

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the base member showing the bars attached thereto.

Referring to the drawings more in detail, the invention is shown as applied to a window having a lower sash Hi and an upper sash II which are provided with cross rails 12 and [3 respectively (Fig. 2) which are in registration when the window is closed and are secured by a latch of standard construction, shown as a pivotedcam member [4 attached to the cross rail I2 of the lower sash and engaging a clip l5 attached to the crossrail If of the upper sash. The upper sash is shown as divided by cross bars l8 and [9" into a plurality of small panes, whereas the lower sash IQis shown as of the-singlepane type. The sashes I'B' and H slide vertically in the usual window frame it! having a bottom sill 2|.

Theguardcomprises a base member 22 (Fig. 4) formed from an angle-stripa-nd com-prising a bottom flange 2 3' and: a front flange- 24.- The frontf-lange is formed with a pair of screw holes 25 arid apair or bayonet screw holes 26 and also carriesa forwardly and upwardly extending ear 2'! which-may be attached theretoby suitabl means, as by welding, and is provide'd with a hole 25 to receivea padlock. A pair or vertical bars 3-9 are. formed with top flanges 31': which are-m: eted; as by rivets-'12, to the bottom flange 23 of the base member 22.. The lower ends 34 of bars as indicated in Fig. 1,. are inserted between the bottom rail 35 of the lower sash HI and the s-illtZ-h Thelatchxoover comprises a front.p1aite:38,a top flange 39' and aboxlilee cover 49 which is. adapted to. enclose the window latch. l4. The front plate 38 is provided with a vertical slot 4| which is adapted to receive the ear 2'! of the base member and is provided with an outstanding ear 42 which is secured to the front plate 38 by suitable means, as by welding, and is formed with a hole 43 which is adapted to register with the hole 28 of the car 21 when the two parts are assembled. The front plate 38 is of a dimension to cover the front flange 24 of the base member and the heads of the attaching screws which are inserted through the holes 25 or 2B.

The base member may be permanently attached to the lower sash in the position shown by passing screws 45 through the holes 25 of the front flange 24 into the cross rail [2 of the lower sash. The lower ends 34 of the bars 30 may also be screwed onto the lower cross rail 35 of the sash ID if desired, or may extend in grooves between the rail 35 and the sill 21. When the window is closed and latched, the latch cover may be positioned over the base member 22 so that the front plate 38 covers the front flange 24 of the base member and the screws 45, and the top flange 39 I thereof rests against the top of the cross rail I2 with the cover enclosing the latch I4 and resting upon the upper surfaces of the cross rails l2 and IS. The car 42 is brought into registration with the ear 21 and a padlock 46 is passed through the aligned holes 28 and 43. In this position it is impossible to release the latch l 4 without first removing the padlock, even if a burglar should break the window pane and insert his hand through the window for that purpose.

When it is desired to remove the guard, the padlock 46 is removed and the latch cover is lifted ofi, leaving the base member 22 and the bars 30 in place.

If it is desired to make the entire guard removable, the screws 45 are passed through the bayonet holes 26 instead of through the holes 35. The

window is open by passing the large section of the bayonet holes 26 over the screw heads and then Sliding the member upwardly until the bottom flange 23 engages the underside of the rail I2. When the latch cover is positioned and lockedby the padlock 46, as above described, the base member is held in its upper position by the flange 39 engaging the top of the rail l2. Hence the device is securely held in place and cannot be removed while the latch cover is in place.

' If a lower sash I 0 is of the small pane type, the bars 30 may be omitted in which event the flange 22 and front plate 38 maybe made considerably shorter. As an additional protection a metal reinforcing strip may be secured across one or more of the cross bars l8 or 19 of the upper sash II to prevent those members from being broken.

Although a specific embodiment of the invention has been shown for purposes of illustration, it is to be understood that the invention is capable of various uses and that modifications and base member 22 may then be attached when the changes may be made therein as will be readily apparent to a person skilled in the art.

What is claimed is: V

1. A latch guard for a window having sliding upper and lower sashes having registering cross rails secured by a latch, said latch guard comprising a base member having a front flange provided with screw holes for attachment to the cross rails of said lower sash and having aforwardly and upwardly extending central car, a latch cover having a front plate shaped to cover said front flange and said screw holes, said front plate having a vertical slot to receive said ear and 4 having an ear secured thereto registering with said first ear, said ears having registering holes adapted to receive a padlock or the like, said latch cover having a shield to extend over and completely enclose said latch. I

2. A latch guard, as set forth in claim 1, in

which said screw holes are elongated with enlarged portions to receive the screw heads and are shaped for the securing of said base member by upward movement thereof over said screws.

3. Alatch guard for a window having upper and lower sashes provided with registering cross rails and a latch for securing the same together, said guard comprising a base member having bottom and front flanges, means securing the front flange to the cross rail'of said bottom cash with said bottom flange engaging the lower surface of said cross rail, and .a latch arm having a front plate adapted to pass over said front flange, having the top flange to engage the top surface of said cross rail, and having a shield shaped to cover and completely enclose said latch, an ear attached to the front flange of said base member.

and extending outwardly andupwardlytherefrom, a registering slot in said frontplate to receive said :ear, and a second ear secured to. said front plate to register with said first ear, said ears having registering holes to receive a padlock for securing the latch cover in place.

4. Alatch guard, as set forth in claim 3, in which the front flange of said base member is provided with elongated screw holes having enlarged portions adapted to receive ascrew head and to be positioned by sliding said fiange'upwardly until the bottom flange in said plate engages the underside of said cross rail.

. NEIL O. HOLMSTEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PA'I'ENTS Name Date 

